[i][/i][b][/b][i][/i][color=f7941d][h3]Romaní Bogart [/h3][/color][sub] [i]Strength Blares When the Candles Fade[/i] Friday Morning, ??? [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCax6p1Lm9s]theme[/url][/sub] [hr] The horrid facet of its mien peered from the darkness. It's scaly figure and howled gestures sent shivers through Romaní's spine, finding himself trembling before the visage of a creature standing in tow of something more than idle conversation. There was a sense of malice with each step it took out of the alleys, a dreaded sense of danger which bellowed Romaní for an escape. But his feet were jammed, as if his commands were interrupted by the fear which permeated from his very self. After a few more step, perhaps instinct kicked in and finally his fight-or-flight capabilities awakened. His feet kicked the earth beneath his heel and he rushed away from the entity as fast as he could. However, in this world, his constitution seemed to have been fading... He felt as if his lungs couldn't carry the fatigue as well as he hoped they could. After a brief moment of running, his legs were already burning, his knees felt aching, chest started to tightened. His physical attributes weren't this horrid! He knew he could at least reach the next few streets without feeling too fatigued, but running now was triggering something which weakened him further beyond his understanding. His breathing became heavier, sustaining air was becoming a problem so Romaní was left with his only device of travel- Panic. Shifting between lanes and moving uncontrollably before what seems to be a distortion of a world which didn't want him there, everything and everyone was in their own little world, perhaps escaping, perhaps eluding to something else. But reality struck with force, when he began to subtle his movements, and the snarl of a creature peered itself from the seams, tracking him without pause, this time unafraid to demonstrate it's capabilities. It's teeth exposed, sharp as knives ready to pounce at its prey, in this place, Romaní had traversed a great distance... into shadows, an alley without noting. Regret overcame him, he could feel the icy grip of death get closer. This has to be a nightmare! It has to be! He ran again, trying to pull whatever ounce of strength, he attempted to escape. The monster didn't seem fazed, in fact, perhaps some facet of his being enjoyed the hunt, he waited a couple of seconds before delivering his speed on to the surface of this chase before long he had shortened the gap considerably, extending its arm and swiping inches away from Romaní's head, the boy was able to evade, just barely with a clumsy tumble, lowering his head and shifting his direction. The creature had went over his head, quickly regaining posture. Taunting him with its presence, almost welcoming the hunt. Romaní continued, his legs were giving out, he pushed on some trashcans and boards along the way, as if to create an obstacle to ward his chaser but it was to no avail, the creature would either seamlessly leap over them, or crash it away with its strength. Soon, Romaní found himself in a dead end. Three walls halting his progress. Tall, dark and hopelessly evident that this was the end. Attempting to retreat, the creature stood at the end, slouched forward and hunched. Tongue out, licking its lips at the meal presented before it. There was an oozing darkness which dripped out it like tar, Romaní did not make sense of it, backed against the wall like a mice before the cat. Each step was slow and calculated, and this creature was now singing its victories. What a way to go... Romaní's feet finally gave out, his hands and feet met with the fatigue generated through this entire endeavor. His memories began to play again, only this time they painted a much clearer picture. A moment in particular shone through, however. Like as though he was once again in that same moment from before. Five other men, a damaged child, pain coursing through his entire system. His face had just been dealt a heavy blow and through the blurred image was a man standing in the center, above him, with a bat covered in blood. Right behind him was a girl who seemed to have been weeping for awhile. Right... [center][i]This was that girl who ran away... I was about to take her to the hospital after running away from home. This people were... [/i][/center] She was part of a gang, you see. The story began to unfold before him as he met himself with betrayal. Moments after they went to get something to drink, heating them from the cold night she suggested they take a walk. The two did, Romaní didn't feel the need to push her to do something she didn't want to immediately. Allowing her some comfort and they talked. The two talked through the night, attempting to excavate some hidden gem but the only thing he found was a bunch of people, attempting to steal from him. Yes, her trauma was real, yes her situation was real... but she seemed to have valued her status here more than her time with Romaní, before he knew it, he was standing before two things. A bad time, and a worse time. Disgust began channel at the epicenter of his core, he didn't know how to distinguish one thing for the other, but before long he took a deep breath and smiled. [color=f7941d]"I guess I was too naive, to think that I could save everyone..."[/color] The kids were getting impatient, and the Romaní was getting reckless. They shortened the gap, grabbed him by his collar and Romaní head butted him. Causing him to reel back, before long the kids were getting into a fight. And as you can very well tell, the odd were not in his favor. He got beaten, he attempted to hold his own, but as one punch landed, three more made contact with Romaní's skin. Before long they played cheap, and a bat was thrown into the mix. When he woke up, it was the afternoon of the next day. His head felt an immense amount pain and he was alone in a white room, a needle feeding him a bronze liquid while a machine kept his vitals in check. A bandage was covering the majority of his face, and he felt like crying. He felt hopeless and unneeded. Felt as if though none of his actions mattered. He felt so little in a world which offered so much. There was uncertainty on his frail soul. Like a broken mirror, it only displayed fragments of a broken image. He should've expected it, of course. Although she was young, she was still a stranger. But he couldn't sit idly by and allow something so terrible to happen. His scar was a testament of this... and now. At this very moment he felt such as well. He was so small compared to the monster before him. About to be devoured, with no witnesses in hand. Unable to contact anyone or anything. Unable to tell his parents that he loved him, without being able to contact anyone who was important. There he stood before his fate realizing how little he has done, how few he has accomplished. How his life up until now was built around misfortunes and how he couldn't alleviate a single soul from their pain. He couldn't achieve greatness so that he could aid his family out of the rut they were in. He couldn't save that girl from the unfortunate pain that had befallen her. He couldn't stop the scuffle in the library, he just gave someone a cup of coffee because he admired her honesty and kindness... What did he do throughout his life? Everything felt so worthless at this point. And as fear subsided, tears began to fall before his demise. He lived as he died, a hopeless man doing nothing. And his only accomplishment was surviving long enough for natural selection to finally decide to take him away. Perhaps he would be lucky and meet himself in heaven, or be reincarnated as someone with much more ability, much more strength. As he finally released all hope, a dawning sense of the inevitable struck him. And he wasn't able to do much other than to allow it to happen, wishing that his end would be a swift one. As the creature shortened the gap, and its hands clutched itself onto Romaní's neck, utilizing the wall, scarping his back long its surface. Noting that the life has been washed away entirely from the youth's eyes. [i]"How disappointing."[/i] he spoke between snarls and laughter. [i]"Other's would continue to fight, but you just gave up halfway. Well, you did your best. Too bad it just wasn't enough."[/i] He couldn't breathe, the tightening of this monster's grip became stronger, for one last attempt... he grabbed to its arm, trying to free himself from its clutches. But it wasn't enough, he looked up, at this bleak sky and haunting atmosphere. He wasn't even given the luxury of a death under the beautiful stars... [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/YdV4AWa.png[/img] [sub][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lp_xPNC8Ag][b]THEME[/b][/url] [i]We have to learn to cradle those who stand before us.[/i][/sub][/center] A voice finally reached him, that distant clatter which rummage the back of his head finally spoke to him. A clear as day, the light before the darkness. A soothing tone which engulfed Romaní in a sense of... strength. [i][center]A world we understood broken can mend the strongest of allies. Withing the very distinction of humanity births the crude pieces which intertwines our roots to the same tree.[/center][/i] It's booming voice rooted something out of core, the voice began to reach onto his very essence, and now the struggling become much fiercer, the creature before him too in shock, noting the resistance had developed into more than just insipid wails, but more into calculated risks, its grip was failing it quickly attempting to end it by using both hands to strangle whatever force was left out of the boys life. It wasn't about to let some crazy burst of strength to halt its meal. Romaní breath was beginning to search for an escape, he could feel his lungs about to pop, he needed something to release him. [i][center]Bear the fruit of the ally which condemned the world, surface the ideal of true unity, and handle it with care like a loving father. There are no shortcuts in life, there are no sources of truth, the is only good and bad and you shall follow accordingly. As the key who opens the gates of heaven, channel the soul and expose the world's true nature. Call me fourth![/center][/i] [color=f7941d]"ARCADIA"[/color] Eyes glimmered in a shining hue of yellow, a manifestation of power grew through his source and a weapon manifested on his hand, a gun and a pendulum, quickly, his hand reached to this creature's face, and pulled the trigger without much pause. The canon blew off its shot, cause the creature to reel and scream in pain, howling out its agony for the world to see, a seem of its tar left in the hands hands and neck of Romaní clothes, his eyes still luminescent, bright gold with the essence of power radiating from his core, the pendulum fell, demonstrating its golden hue, illuminated through glimmers of shimmering light. The creature lunged towards its target, but before he knew it was ensnared in the pendulum's grip. Now the tables had turned, and its neck was at the mercy of this young boy's power. [i]"W-what are you!?"[/i] [color=f26522]"How disappointing. You did your best... Too bad it just wasn't enough."[/color] without a single ounce of mercy, he pulled on the string and its neck popped once twice, three times before the light of its eyes faded. His body now laying on the floor, slowly dispersing into a puddle or tar, and then disappearing completely. Romaní eyes shifted back to its original hue, and a gasp escaped him. He began to cough excessively, and a sense of guilt poured onto him. [color=f26522]"Did... Did I just-- killed a man?"[/color] He didn't know if that thing was man or monster, but he reacted accordingly to his instinct, he didn't know what really happened. But in his hand was a gun and a pendulum. What was this weird nightmare, and who was that voice just now!? He needed to move, please someone get him out of there.